


popular. do you really know popular?

by haileylikestowrite



Series: My BMC Cannon [1]
Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Being popular sucks, Brooke is sad, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Madeline BMC, Madeline and Brooke are my favorites
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 03:26:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18130331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haileylikestowrite/pseuds/haileylikestowrite
Summary: There is always a misconception about being popular.





	popular. do you really know popular?

**Author's Note:**

> I really, really love Brooke and Madeline.

There is always a misconception about being popular.

People mostly believe that being popular means being able to do what you want. You get invited to parties, people don’t bully you, your teachers like you more, everyone adores you, boys/girls want to date you, and you have a group of people that you can rule with. Movies like Mean Girls, Heathers, and Clueless display girls that are hard to break, girls that have power. Even though these movies display some type of aspect of the hierarchy of high school popularity, they’re wrong. Which is something that Brooklyn Lohst learned the hard way.

Brooke became friends with Chloe Valentine in seventh grade. Before then, Brooke wasn’t exactly close to the top of the social pyramid, but actually in the middle. She was friends with everyone and could fit into any circle of friends easily. There were hardly a group of people who didn’t like her (even the more scene and emo kids had taken a liking to her peppy personality). Brooke had also always been a pretty girl. Naturally pretty, at that. In middle school, she didn’t wear very much makeup, only mascara to make her lashes stand out more. She was also one of the cheerleaders. Cheering was something that Brooke had been doing since she was little, and she loved it. When Chloe became her best friend, Brooke idolized her. Chloe was confident and beautiful. Not only that, but it seemed like everyone loved her. Even the teachers would turn the other cheek if Chloe did something wrong. That’s the life Brooke wanted- she wanted everyone to love her, too. But she was blind to the fact that everyone already did. Chloe was kind to her. At least, looking back on that now, Brooke wasn’t too sure if that was the case. She would always make sure Brooke knew if her outfit wasn’t cute, or if she needed to wear more makeup, or if her hair looked bad that day.

It got worse in high school. By the time they were in their freshman year, Chloe was at the top. There wasn’t one person in the school who didn’t know who Chloe Valentine was. Most people knew of Brooke, but it wasn’t to the same extent of Chloe. Upperclassmen took a like to Chloe, especially the boys. Jake Dillinger, a sophomore boy on the football team, was Chloe’s main point of interest. He was attractive, for sure, and he definitely seemed interested in Chloe, too. It wasn’t long until they got together. Brooke, of course, followed Chloe around, meaning she was often the third wheel.

The “helpful tips” Chloe often felt necessary to give continued. Brooke, before the year started, was getting ready to go to tryouts for cheerleading when Chloe called her. “Wait, you aren’t serious right?” Chloe said, a gasp on her lips ,”Brooke, only the biggest sluts in the school are cheerleaders. Is that really how you want to label yourself? If you go, the label is going to stick with you for the next four years!” So, Brooke changed her clothes and went to the mall with Chloe. It didn’t stop her from longing to be on the sidelines at football games.

Chloe and Jake only lasted about three months. He broke up with her next to her locker, and Brooke had been there. Chloe took a bit of her anger out on Brooke until Jenna Rolan came over, telling her some story about Madeline Patterson persuading Jake to break up with her. That was the start of Chloe’s hatred towards Madeline. Chloe told Jenna to spread a rumor that Madeline was sleeping with Jake, and Jenna began to do so. That’s the moment when the truth hit Brooke.

Brooke Lohst was no longer a person. This popularity that Chloe pulled her into took away her rights to be human. She didn’t do the things she loved anymore, and no one actually liked her. They were scared of her now, of her power. Brooke could probably ruin the life of anyone in the school if she really wanted to. The realization destroyed her, but she had nowhere else to go. Brooke had no choice but to keep going on like this.

Then sophomore year rolls around, and Brooke is sitting in her English class. There is a new boy in her class, Jeremy Heere. At first, it was a little awkward. She knew Chloe would never approve of her talking to someone like Jeremy, but it wasn’t long until they actually began to talk. Their English teacher assigned a lot of group and partner assignments, so it often ended with her getting pretty close to Jeremy and Christine Canigula. Around the end of the first semester, Chloe caught sight of Brooke talking to the three. Let’s just say, the conversation didn’t end well at all. When the two left Brooke’s side, Chloe stomped up to Brooke and pulled her aside. Brooke knew this wasn’t going to end well at all.“Why were you talking to those losers?” Chloe demanded. Brooke didn’t know what to say. How did she explain that she was friends with them? “I uh... It’s a group project, Chloe!” Brooke said, her voice weak. The hallway was empty now, at least from what Brooke and Chloe could tell. They didn’t see the girl with the long black hair watching them.

“Brooke, you were laughing! Are you sure it was for some group assignment?” Chloe said with anger, ”Really, Brooke, are you trying to destroy my hard work? I worked hard to get us where we are today, and this is how you thank me? By being nice to the lowest of the school? Really, I’m disappointed.” Brooke looked down at her shoes as Chloe said this. She knew that the girl was going to be mad at her for a while, and critique everything Brooke did until she was bored with it.

“Hey, Chloe, how about you shut the fuck up?” a voice said harshly. Brooke looked behind Chloe to see the now junior, Madeline Patterson, standing with her hands on her hips. Brooke had never really looked at Madeline before now. Madeline was tall, which probably came from the heels she was wearing and had long black hair. Brooke had to admit, Madeline was probably prettier than Chloe was. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Jake really did break up with Chloe for Madeline.

Chloe, obviously, didn’t like that someone told her to shut up. She especially didn’t like that it came from Madeline. “Is this any of your business, you whore?” Chloe spits back. Madeline rolled her eyes, looking bored. “The thing with you underclassmen is that you tend to use name calling as your defense,” Madeline said, ”It’s not at all classy, but that’s expected from someone like you, Chloe.” Brooke was surprised; she had never, ever seen someone stand up to Chloe like this. She had never seen someone as confident as Madeline, either. It was… it was completely new to Brooke.

“Oh, you’re one to talk about class,” Chloe hissed, ”Aren’t you the one who is sleeping with Jake Dillinger and Michael Mell?” The words caused Madeline to roll her eyes. “Chloe, you’re well aware of the fact that Jake is my cousin… or do you sleep with your cousins and this is how you cover that up?” Madeline asked, tilting her head, ”As for Michael, well, he’s not my type.” Brooke was shocked that Jake and Madeline were actually cousins. Did Chloe know this? If she did, why would she tell everyone that they were sleeping together? Brooke was so confused because there was no way that Chloe knew that, right? Right?

The two girls continued to argue for a few more minutes until Chloe decided to stomp away. She knew she was losing the fight, so she was going to save herself embarrassment. Chloe grabbed Brooke’s wrist to pull her away, but Madeline stopped her before they could walk off. “No no,” Madeline said, "Brooklyn is coming with me. I am not letting you psychologically abuse her any longer.” Chloe scuffed, "Abuse her? Do you mean help her? Without me, Brooke would be a no one! I helped her climb the latter, something she couldn’t have done without-”

The words stung Brooke, sure, but they definitely didn’t hurt as much as the punch Madeline threw at Chloe’s nose. Brooke was shocked, looking to see blood gushing from her friend’s nose. She didn’t have enough time to ask Chloe if she was okay because Madeline pulled her away. When they were in the bathroom, Madeline turned to Brooke. However, she didn’t have the bored expression from earlier, but more of a soft and caring one.

“Are you okay?” Madeline asked softly, ”Do you need anything? I’m sorry I punched her, but I couldn’t let her say shit like that about you.” Brooke teared up, jumping to hug Madeline. She sobbed softly into Madeline’s shoulder. No one had ever stuck up for her, so she didn’t know why this girl would do it. She continued to cry into Madeline’s shoulder until the other was called to the principal's office.

Of course, Madeline was suspended for the rest of the week because Chloe’s nose ended up being broken, and there was no way that Brooke was going to sit with Chloe at lunch. So, Brooke sat with Jeremy and Christine. They welcomed her with open arms, talking to her about theatre and trying to convince her to audition for the next school play. Brooke told them she would think about it, but she was pretty sure she would audition with them.

A week later at lunch, someone sat next to Brooke. Confused, she looked over to see Madeline next to her. Jeremy and Christine were also confused to see Madeline, as she was one of the popular girls. It wasn’t long until Jake Dillinger and Michael Mell sat with them, too. It was awkward at first, but then Michael said some weird joke that made Madeline and Jake groan but Jeremy and Christine giggle. Brooke smiled for the rest of lunch.

The three continued to sit with them, and it wasn’t long until the six of them were hanging out at the mall and each other's houses. For the first time in a really long time, Brooke felt like she belonged somewhere. She had friends that actually cared about her and not how she looked. Brooke loved all of them, especially Madeline. It didn’t take long for Brooke to develop a small crush on Madeline. She was always making sure Brooke was heard and that she was okay, which was the most affection she had ever gotten from a friend.

Madeline and Brooke would eventually go on a date, but that’s a story for another time, isn’t it?

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first in my series of my cannon BMC stories. These cannons obviously do not follow the timeline of BMC, but a new one! I hope you enjoy it.


End file.
